Didja Know Chikara @didjaknowchikara - Tumblr Blog

- As of UltraMantis Black’s retirement announcement in September, only two of CHIKARA’s first class graduates remain active parts of CHIKARA’s roster; Icarus and Hallowicked. On that note, those two, along with Blind Rage, are the only three remaining (active) competitors to have wrestled on CHIKARA’s very first card.

#CHIKARA #Wrestle Factory #UltraMantis Black #Didja Know CHIKARA

There may be tears after tonight’s fact.

He’s gone too far this time.

Coming soon; I Opine CHIKARA

In which instead of stating CHIKARA facts, I will be stating CHIKARA opinions.

This may not actually be happening.

enby-li

My new favorite wrestling fan is the AAA Skeleton Mariachi

- The Marta Complex is about to start, so let’s have a quickie; NRG have become the first team since the Colony to earn a second set of three points for campeonatos de parejas contention within a single season. The first team to do that was Cheech and Cloudy, the next being the Osirian Portal.

NRG’s situation is also similar to the Colony’s in that their second bid for the titles will be against the same team in their first bid for the titles; the Colony faced the Portal por los campeonatos twice, and NRG will be facing off against Devastation Corporation a second time.

#CHIKARA #Didja Know CHIKARA

didjaknowchikara

The year was twenty-aught-eight. George W. Bush was experiencing his last three months of presidency, the average price of gas was about $4.10, and the number one song was “Whatever You Like” by T.I. More importantly than that, wrestling was happening!

CHIKARA was making it’s midwestern debut, and on September 20, 2008, the Artistic Pursuit of Being Yourself hit Streamwood, IL, and this lucky buck was in attendance. I and my driving buddy arrived at the Streamwood Park District Community Center at 5:00 PM, and were the second and third arrivals that day (THAT was going to change real soon, lemme tell ya).

Apart from the usual CHIKARA favorites, the likes of Chuck Taylor, Billy Roc, Mitch Ryder, and even El Oriental were slated to appear, but sadly, due to a slew of family issues, or just plain issues, they couldn’t make it, and so the card was shuffled a bit to make up for it.

And so, watching this for the first time in years, I bring to you the review of the first CHIKARA show I ever saw live. I sat front row. I’ve been spoiled ever since.

CHIKARA Stats;

Campeonatos de Parejas: Incoherence (Hallowicked and Delirious) Young Lions Cup Champion: Vin Gerard

There was no Grand Championship at the time.

Match 1: Helios and Lince Dorado vs. the Thomasellis (Brandon and Vito)

The story at the time: Helios and Lince were two smilin’, fiery, masked tecnicos that were often paired together, and eventually formed the first version of the Future is Now trio with Equinox II. The Thomasellis are local and have history with CHIKARA.

This is actually the first pairing of Helios and Lince, according to commentary (and personal memory, for what it’s worth), and I suppose teaming up a golden cat person and a sun deity makes sense. The Thomaselli’s never lit my world on fire, but they’re local, and are good foils for your hot tecnico team. The first dives of the show happen about five minutes into the match, which pretty much set the tone for the day.

The match doesn’t have a whole lot of consequences, but it does have a lot of fun and furious offense, and makese sense as a solid opener. Helios and Lince get the win when they hit tandem shooting stars on either Thomaselli for the double pin.

Match rating: A perfectly well balanced breakfast of eggs and toast, but you didn’t butter the toast in time, and the eggs are a little runny

Match 2: Buck Hawke vs. Tim Donst

The story at the time: Buck Hawke was sycophantic ginger underling to Mitch Ryder, one of CHIKARA’s biggest jerks and gnarliest rudos. Tim Donst is a year into his career at this point, still Mike Quackenbush’s apple pie lovin’, patriotic protege, and as such the two young lions crossed frequently in the name of their mentors.

Also, the former Shayne Hawke is Canadian, so lets say that plays into their rivalry, just a little bit. Anyway, I had thought that time and tide wouldn’t be too kind to this match, but lo and behold, I really rather liked it. Donst, only fourteen months into his career at this point (and with the literal baby face to prove it) showed flashes of brilliance to come, throwing suplexes and slinging out mat holds like a boss.

Hawke is an entity that I miss dearly in CHIKARA. After he paired himself with Ryder, he started playing up the “Memphis heel” style, and seeing a tiny, rail thin, pale as the driven snow ginger throwing eyepokes and doing handshake fakeouts (and coming out to Rod Stewart music) is a glorious sight to behold.

America would sadly be denied the victory it so dearly deserved due to Hawke holding onto Donst’s tights, and I couldn’t be anymore patriotically enraged.

Match rating: Lady Liberty shaking her fist towards the north

Match 3: Da Soul Touchaz (Acid Jaz, Trauma, Willie ‘da Bomb’ Richardson, and Marshe Rockett) vs. Ultramantis Black, Crossbones, Sami Callihan, and Trik Davis

The story at the time: Da Soul Touchaz are local heroes, and one of CHIKARA’s suprise big hits from that year’s King of Trios. Mantis is still in charge of the Order of the Neo Solar Temple, but numbers are dwindling after Tim Donst unveiled himself as a mole to ferret out the person who sold out Quack’s CHIKARA Special. Crossbones is still as loyal to Mantis as ever. Callihan is spooky and gothy, so he’s a potential fit for the Order. I have no idea why Trik Davis is here.

Da Soul Touchaz are one of my all time favorite acts to hit CHIKARA, a trio of hilarious, fun having dudes that come out to Soulja Boy, and all with their own special style and and flair. Plugging Trauma into the team was sorta like adding a second, slightly smaller Willie Richardson into the mix, but he could hold his own, so I’ve got no complaints there.

Mantis’s team is a conglomeration of guys I happen to really enjoy (and Trik Davis), so they could have done worse, certainly. When Mantis turned tecnico, he added a bit more dynamism to his moveset, but here, he’s rudo to the bone (2 tha bone), and backrakes are a-plenty. Crossbones is great here, too, playing his team’s heavy hitter against da Touchaz’s two battering rams in Richardson and Trauma.

Callihan still strikes me as someone who would have been a perfect fit for CHIKARA, if certain “real life” issues hadn’t gotten in the way. I have no idea why Trik Davis is here.

Not to continue the whole “this show is hunky dory!” line of thinking, but the match itself was a fun, motley crew of styles and characters, and ends with a massive leg drop from Willie Richardson on poor Trik.

Match rating: YOUUUUUUUUUU

Match 4: Colin Delaney vs. Jimmy Olsen

The story at the time: Colin D had just recently sold Jimmy Olsen down the river after his stint on ECW on Sci Fi (Syfy?), shacking up with Vin Gerard’s UnStable. Jimmy Olsen is rightly cross about the whole situation, and is looking for answers from Colin.

I’m gonna get this out of the way right now; the amalgam of the Full House theme song and Britney Spears’s Toxic probably seemed like a cute idea at the time, but it never really needed to exist.

It’s hard for me to rate this match; Jimmy and Colin are perfectly capable wrestlers, and have great offense (Jimmy, for instance, has a great right hand to rival the likes of Terry Funk and Jerry Lawler), but the match itself felt like ten minutes of set up to almost no pay off. It doesn’t help that the crowd doesn’t seem to be all that into it, at least not at the beginning. A hefty effort from two guys I really like, but luckily, better days do come, for Jimmy at least.

Colin gets the duke when Vin Gerard and STIGMA appear for a distraction, and Colin hits Jimmy with the FU (as it was still known as such at the time).

Match rating: Proper

Match 5: Discovery and Incognito vs. Rey Makawe and Guerrerito del Futuro

The story at the time: Incognito was a member of that year’s King of Trios champion team, and had also won that year’s Rey de Voladores. I had never heared of the others until that point, and I have not heard of them since.

so this match

A lot of people have their own idea of what the worst match in CHIKARA history is. Some have said the St. Louis Anarchy showcase from King of Trios 2009 is, but I disagree with that notion on several levels. CHIKARA’s twitter has called Kazuchika Okada vs. Osiris their worst match, but at least one of those guys became hot biz. Basically anyone you ask will give you a different answer each time.

This is the worst CHIKARA match of all time. It is a tuneless, shapeless, miracle of poor timing and blown spots. Participants in the match can visibly be seen looking off into the distance and trying to think of what they’re going to do next. Louden Noxious and Mantis do their very best to put over this match, but it sort of brings to mind Roddy Piper trying to get over the Gobbledy Gooker. Incognito tries to make it seem like he’s pulling off massive athletic feats by jumping over Makawe and Guerrerito, but it’s hard to be impressed when his opponents are two heads shorter than he is (Incognito is 5'8’’).

The match ends when Incognito drops Rey Makawe on his arm, and Bryce calls for the bell. Incognito and Discovery clap their hands and raise their arms to silence. Worst match of all time. It’s either this or the match with the f'ing Immortals in it, and I had to see this match live.

Match rating: A sad crying clown in an iron lung

Match 6: STIGMA vs. Drake Younger

The story at the time: STIGMA is the former Shane Storm, having turned to the dark side (and Vin Gerard’s UnStable) after selling out the secrets to Quack’s CHIKARA Special. Drake had competed in that year’s Young Lions Cup tournament, and most likely showed up because Indiana is not all that far from Illinois.

STIGMA is the best thing that could have ever happened to Shane Storm. Storm’s best matches were when he dropped his pretense of being a lucha construction worker and just threw hands (so, y'know, his matches with Eddie Kingston were his best matches), and STIGMA is basically an extension of that idea, turning into an angry brawler. Throw a great brawler and fighter like Drake Younger into the mix, and a match that doens’t exactly scream “watch me!” on paper turns out quite good.

As with any match featuring the UnStable, the UnStable appears from out of nowhere (aka the parking lot) to offer up a distraction, and Drake is felled by a tombstone piledriver. Not exactly a hidden gem, but worth your time.

Match rating: That thing I just said

Match 7: Fire Ant vs. Vin Gerard

The story at the time: I’m gonna try and make this short. Fire Ant defeated Vin Gerard in the Young Lions Cup finals, but was quickly felled due to chicanery and other such nonsense at the very next show by Vin Gerard. YLC rules typically state that once you lose the Cup, that’s it, you’re done, but Leonard F. Chikarason, who was not Vin’s biggest fan, bent the rules slightly, and Fire Ant was granted a rematch to regain his Cup.

Fire Ant vs. Vin Gerard in the 2008 Cup finals is my favorite CHIKARA match of all time; Vin’s natural “appeal” as a true garbage person, as well as his rudo style perfectly complimented Fire Ant’s fiery offense, so any time the two would meet, they meshed greatly. Of course, duplicating something great is often impossible, and I knew full well that I wouldn’t be seeing the same match as the original Cup match, but I knew that I’d at least be in for a treat.

And I was! (thought I was gonna throw a curveball, didn’t ya) The match had a lot of intensity, with Fire Ant throwing all of his kicks and his best offense at Vin, and with Vin pulled every dirty trick out of his book to throw Fire Ant off. I wouldn’t put it on par with the original, but I would call it a delight, and it did what any great title match does; make it seem like the challenger has a shot at winning. But remember what I said about UnStable matches not too long ago?

Fire Ant accidentally knocks out ref PJ Drummond while going for the Beach Break, and the UnStable makes their presence known. But surprise of surprises, who should come to Fire Ant’s rescue by…not the Colony! Jimmy Olsen and Drake Younger actually make the save, fending off STIGMA and Colin Delaney, but alas, Gerard knows an opportunity when he sees one. He fouls Fire Ant in the junk (twice) and locks in the STF, and Gerard keeps his Cup, despite Bryce Remsburg rushing out to try and be PJ to see reason.

Match rating: Getting your hopes up and dashing them at the last second

Da Main Event: Amasis, Gran Akuma, Mike Quackenbush, Player Dos, and Soldier Ant vs. Ophdian, Icarus, Hallowicked, Player Uno, and Worker Ant

The story at the time: Chuck Taylor’s absence leaves his partners in FIST without a trio, Fire Ant was tied up in the Young Lions Cup match, and Delirious was elsewhere that evening (elsewhere meaning Ring of Honor). How about an atomicos increible match?

An atomicos increible match is like any other multiman match, with the added caveat that people whom are normally tag partners are split between the two teams. As such, the Colony, FIST, the Osirian Portal, and the Super Smash Bros were split down the middle and placed on opposing teams. Quack and Hallowicked are sort of the odd men out, not really having much affiliation (other than one being the trainer of the other), but they’re both well meaning tecnicos who’s partners were lost in ROH at the time, so we’ll count it.

So we have ten talented men in one ring, a number of which are industry veterans at this point. What happens? If you said “a massive conglomeration of cool moves and dives”, then you are the most correct.

For thirty-two minutes, CHIKARA’s most popular teams (and most popular head trainer and student) tore up the ring in a spectacular display of offense. And not only that, partners fought partners, and they most certainly did not hold back (most notable, and most surprising, when Gran Akuma and Icarus tore into eachother).

Since “they did moves and it was cool” probably isn’t enough to carry a review, here’s a couple of highlights;

- Quack locking Ophidian in the Cerebrolock in the middle of a submission circle created by all the other participants in the match. - Player Dos leaping for dear life to escape Player Uno’s hadouken - Mantis trying out a new catchphrase on commentary (“tea and toast!”) - One of the famous CHIKARA submission trains occurs, with every man twisting the other up in a submission hold (minus Ophidian, who just pins the closest man with his shoulders down on the mat) - My personal favorite moment, Hallowicked and Icarus busting out the Night Falls double team move for the first time in years.

The match isn’t without fault, as there’s a lot of lost places and quiet spots, but I’ll chalk it up to the match being a last minute addition to the card. The finish comes with Player Dos hitting Hallowicked with a top rope snapmare driver…a preview of things to come, as that would be the same move that would earn Super Smash Bros the campeonatos the following night in Cleveland.

Match rating: Eating one slice of pizza too many

Well with that, I’d like to leave you with some…wait, hold on

B-B-B-B-BONUS MATCH

The evening in Streamwood actually began with a pre-show bonus match, an NWA Mid-West title bout.

Bonus Match: Silas Young vs. Egotistico Fantastico

The story at the time: Egotistico Fantastico is the masked alter ego of Robert “Ego” Anthony. Silas Young is my least favorite wrestler on the American indies.

I dunno what to tell you. Egotistico Fantastico existing in a world with El Generico seems like an anomaly. Silas Young has always looked 45 years old, and he was 28 at the time. From a review standpoint, they had a perfectly fine, acceptably wrestled match that got the crowd ready for more wrestling. From a personal standpoint, I look back at the match and see two guys I’m just never going to root for.

How was I supposed to know how much I’d dislike either guy later on in life?

The match ends when Silas Young hits his top rope handstand into the arabian press.

Match rating: Retroactive apathy

For real now, here’s some final thoughts.

I’d been following CHIKARA since about 2005 at that point, so when I found out that CHIKARA was going to be within breathing distance, I dropped everything to make sure I was there. I watched things happen live that I’d only seen on DVD’s and youtube videos, and I met the men that I cared about most in professional wrestling. If I hadn’t gone, maybe things would turn out different; I might never have gone to King of Trios (three years later), I might never have met so many of my friends, and I might never have started this dumb tumblr.

But I did go. And I did do all those things. And I’m going to continue to do all those things. I’ve heard and people talk about CHIKARA and express their feelings in ways I never could. This isn’t a great review, and I know it. But if you love CHIKARA, and you read this review, I hope you like it just a little bit, and I hope you’ll continue to love CHIKARA too.

#one more time

King of Trios returns! And to celebrate I have put together a list of facts, triv-bits you might...

Bet you’ll never guess what I’m bringing back on Monday...

King of Trios is coming...

Sure would be nice if someone were to...

Provide FACTS about it...

wrestling-giffer

So uh...is anybody ready for part 2 of the character fight list?

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Reblog if you'll PUBLICLY answer anything in your ask right now.

ophidiancobra

Time displaced Ophidians who rob banks in the 1920s. True story.

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didjaknowchikara

sleep tight pupper

Should You Fight This Person, CHIKARA Edition, Part 1

UltraMantis Black: You could, and may very well win, but literally everyone in the entire world would hate you for it. I'm not kidding. He's that popular.

Icarus: At one time, you could fight Icarus and everyone would be behind you, one hundred percent, but now? Don't fight Icarus. Dude saved CHIKARA. If he ever takes his shirt off again, fight him, but not now.

Eddie Kingston: Oof, I hope you made reservations with the funeral home first, buddy.

Chuck Taylor: Mmmmm...yeah, fight him, he's being kind of a weiner lately. He's actually pretty tough when he wants to be though, and he's got a swamp monster in his squad, so watch out.

Hallowicked: Nobody would fault you if you did, but you'll probably feel a certain sadness inside, and you won't really know why.

Frightmare: Why don't you just go hit the nearest child, it'd have the exact same effect.

Fire Ant: Dude will have run around you like three times before you even throw the first punch, do not engage.

Silver Ant: I hope you're flexible, because he will stretch you. I mean, you could fight him, and maybe win, but the hassle seems greater than the reward.

Worker Ant: He's a dad, so chances are he'll go full papa bear on you. I'm gonna advise against it, and also his son is adorable, so why would you make him sad? You monster.

Jervis Cottonbelly: NO

Dasher Hatfield: Five years ago I'd have told you to go ahead, he's a nice guy, if a little oafish, but not too tough, but now? Time and experience have made him a force. You can try it, but don't be surprised if he hands your butt to you.

Mr. Touchdown: I'm gonna say fight him. He's good, but he needs backup, and if you catch him without Icarus or Dasher around, you could probably take him down, but run as soon as you see anything that looks like a baseball.

Ophidian: Probably unwise, but if you do manage to put him down, just know that his wife will be ready to scratch your eyes out.

Amasis: See above.

Kevin Condron: Kick him in the nuts, then spin him around to kick him in the ass, then spin him around to kick him in the nuts again. A lot of women are going to be upset at you, but you're doing god's work.

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thestubborntortoise

just in: chris pratt and the raptors are drift compatible

nikkwhyte

MECHA RAPTOR-LORD

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JAEGER NAME: CLEVER GIRL

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